The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-12-23
ULD VIRGINIA DAYS.
GENERAL sToNEwALL JAcKsoN's ONE RE-
CORDED SPEECH.

ULD VIRGINIA DAYS.
GENERAL sToNEwALL JACKsoN's ONE RE-
CORDED SPEECH.
WHAT TURNED The UNIONIsT SENTIMENT
IN THE OLD DOMINION INTO ONE OF
sECEssIoN-JoNB BROWNS DAY.
The Incl lent here recorded occurred
in the early spring of 1861, only few
days before the State of Virginia
passed the ordinance of secession. .BAs
soon as the sentence of death had been
pronounced on John Brown the Gov.
ernor of Virginia ordered the militia
OF the State, 10 the number of about
fourteen hundred men, to report at
Charlestown, then in Virginia. This
measure was dictated by rumors of an
intended attempt to interrupt, by an
armed attack, the progress Of the exc.
cutioD. Among the military organi-
cations ordered out were the cadets of
the MILITARY Institute at Lexington.
They left the institute under the i'm
mediate command of Colonel Smith,
the superintendent, the section of ar
tillery which they took with them be-
ing under the charge of Major Jack
son, who was then professor of physi-
cal science at the institute.
After the execution had taken place
there was universal sense of uneasi-
ness throughout the state, and nowhere
more so than at Lexington. The arse
nal near the town, which had been
maintained before the establishment of
the institute and the old guard Of
which had been substituted by the ca.
diets, contained about 10000 stand of
arms, while the adjacent magazine had
500 barrels of powder Rumors were
rife that an attempt would be made to
seize the arsenal aud magazine by the
sympathizers of the John Brown rad,
and Governor Wise directed that re-
doubled vigilance should be exercised
in guarding public property. Senti-
nels were doubled and patrols secured
the neighboring country. The excite
ment of the young soldier guard was
aggravated by the discovery of more
thar one anonymous warning that the
magazine would be attacked at such a
day and hour. These alarms and the
precautions to which they gave rise
necessitated the issue to the cadets of
a full supply of ball-cartridges, and
they were directed to be prepared at
the first tap of the drum to assemble
with their arms.
THE PECULIARIT1Es OF MAJOR JACKSON.
Major Jackson was as Indifferent a
teacher as one would easily find. He
had won for himself reputation in
the Mexican war. A thorough soldier
conscientious, painstaking, entirely
wanting in adaptablli,y and sayoir
faire, he had as little in common with
the scholarly academician as Gust avus
Adolphus with Erasmus. The light
blre eye which could blaze with the
intensest flame in battle, exhibited
none of the kindling which belongs to
he teacher who loves his vocation.
He was awkard, peculiar, bizarre. He
would march up and down in front Of
the superinlendent's office in the rain,
rather than enter before the appointed
time. He would endeavor to admins
tel his department on principles appli
cable to garrison of regulars, and
make issues in which it was impossible
that he should be sustained. A dys.
peptic, at times a hypochondriac, he
was typical proof and example OF
the kinsbip between genius and men.
tai disorder.
His idlosyncrasies made him the
marked figure that he afterwards be-
came-this is almost a truism vel
those same idiosyncrasies slightly ex
aegeratcd might have brought him be-
fore commission of lunacy. Genera
Ewell was not alone in his opinion
when he categorically pronounced hin
mad.
PICTURE FOR POET.
While thus disqualified from evel
becoming more than an indifferen,
teacher Major Jackson held his own
place in the respect of the cadets. A
sub-episode of the time of excitemen,
of which we are writing will establish
this. One night when the reports o
threatened attack had been NOR,
than usually exact the young soldier
became correspondingly excited, Ma
jor Gilham, the commandaDt of cadets
and a gallant West Pointer, wa. in tn,
barracks, but they had resolved tina
they would be more comfortable i
Major Jackson were on duty. The,
had no respect for his scholarship, bu
he was the hero of Contreras anC
Chepultepec, and it is a part-a giftrc
writer has said that it is the creates
part-cf the gift the hero leaves hi
race that has been hero. Sent for
he came down in full uniform ant
sword, and taking his seat in the guar,
room remained there till morning.
poet would need no richer field for hi
fancy than this scene-.the wakin.
veteran, tn obbing with unrecogniz,
and pent-up powers, keeping guar,
over his young brothers, sleeping BIZ
fore the orm.
! The sentiment of Rockbridge coun
ty, as OF the greartr part of the vale
of Virginia at tn time, was intensel,
and 'euaciously in favor of the pres
ervation of the Union. At the recen
election, the Union delegates had beel
elected by 1000 majority in the coun
ty. Ga the other hand, the youth as
sembled in both of the schools situate,
in Lexington-Washington Collrg
and the Military InStitute-were Sc
cessionists in tn ory almost to a man
This was conoition of things easil
to be understood. Youth has gathere,
no experience to serve as a foundation
for caution. With such a division O
sentiment in the community all tn